Sanchez frustrates Spurs, manchester City rout Villa

LONDON - Alexis Sanchez ruined Tottenham's bid to take over at the top of the Premier League as the Arsenal forward's late equaliser rescued a 2-2 draw for the 10-man Gunners, while Manchester City kept their title hopes alive by thrashing Aston Villa 4-0 on Saturday.

Arsene Wenger's Arsenal were in danger of being cast adrift in the Premier League title race when Tottenham led 2-1 in the second half at White Hart Lane. With Francis Coquelin sent off after Aaron Ramsey's opener, Arsenal surrendered the lead when Tottenham hit back through Toby Alderweireld and Harry Kane.

But Arsenal recovered to equalise through Sanchez with 14 minutes remaining and Wenger was quick to hail their character after it was questioned following successive defeats earlier in the week. "I am proud of the spirit, but going down to 10 men was the big regret for the day and it was hard to take," said Wenger, whose third-placed team are five points behind Leicester ahead of the leaders' trip to Watford later on Saturday.

Although they wasted a chance to go top for the first time in seven years, Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, whose side are two points behind Leicester, was still satisfied. "I am pleased. It's true, when it was 2-1 I am little bit disappointed with the result, but we have to be happy we keep the three-point gap to Arsenal," Pochettino said.

At Eastlands, City ended a run of three successive league defeats as Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure broke the deadlock in the 48th minute and Sergio Aguero doubled the lead two minutes later. Aguero struck again in the 60th minute and Raheem Sterling added the fourth six minutes later before Aguero squandered a chance for a hat-trick when his penalty hit a post. Manuel Pellegrini's fourth-placed side are now seven points behind Leicester, while woeful Villa are slipping closer to playing in the second tier for the first time since 1988 after their fourth consecutive defeat. "I think the other teams will lose a lot of points, because it is a very close season. In the last six games the pressure will be on all the teams, so we have to carry on playing this way," Pellegrini said.

Chelsea warmed up for their crucial Champions League showdown against Paris Saint Germain with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Stoke at Stamford Bridge. With Diego Costa rested ahead of the last 16, second leg against PSG, who hold a 2-1 advantage, Burkina Faso forward Bertrand Traore bagged his fourth goal in his last five appearances in the 39th minute. But Chelsea were pegged back five minutes from full-time when Stoke forward Mame Biram Diouf headed home. Bournemouth piled more pressure on beleaguered Newcastle manager Steve McClaren with a 3-1 win over the crisis-torn Magpies at St James' Park.

After a week that featured reports of a dressing room rebellion against McClaren, who also became embroiled in an angry exchange with a journalist on Friday, Newcastle fell behind in the 28th minute through Steven Taylor's own goal.

Josh King increased Bournemouth's lead in the 70th minute and although Ayoze Perez got one back in the 80th minute, it was too late for second-from-bottom Newcastle, who are one point from safety, because Charlie Daniels added the visitors' third deep into stoppage-time. "I'm very disappointed. That was definitely a poor performance and 'going down' material," McClaren said. "We have got to find the fighters in the team. We cannot play like that and hope to stay up."

West Ham staged a superb fightback to remain in the hunt for a Champions League berth with a 3-2 win at 10-man Everton. Romelu Lukaku struck in the 13th minute, but Everton were reduced to 10 men in the 34th minute when Kevin Mirallas was sent off. Roberto Martinez's side scored again through winger Aaron Lennon in the 56th minute.

But Lukaku saw a penalty saved by Adrian and Michail Antonio reduced the deficit in the 78th minute. Diafra Sakho equalised three minutes later and Payet won it in the last minute. Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk dented Sunderland's bid for survival as his stoppage-time equaliser salvaged a 1-1 draw at St Mary's.

Saints defender Jose Fonte was sent off in the 79th minute before Sunderland's Jermain Defoe stabbed home six minutes later. Swansea climbed nine points clear of the relegation zone as Gylfi Sigurdsson's 61st minute goal secured a vital 1-0 win over third bottom Norwich at the Liberty stadium.